Roman Catholics Botch Another Luther Quote: "God has formed the soul and body of the Virgin Mary full of the Holy Spirit, so that she is without all sins"

 Here's a Mariological Martin Luther quote utilized in a Facebook reel: 

In this Facebook Reel, the speaker states, 

"Even Martin Luther... the father of the Protestant Reformation, he believed in the Immaculate Conception... here's a quote from him, 'God has formed the soul and body of the Virgin Mary full of the Holy Spirit, so that she is without all sins, for she has conceived and born the Lord Jesus'... Luther believed in the Immaculate Conception. I did not know that as a Protestant growing up, when I found that out it rocked my world."

This Luther quote being used is a fine example of how poorly some of Rome's defenders are when it comes to going deep into history. Beggars All debunked this quote back in 2010.  Even if this defender of Rome didn't see this old entry, he could have easily located the context to see if the quote is being taken out of context. It is! Luther isn't affirming Mary's Immaculate Conception, at all. 

Documentation

The Facebook Reel speaker did not document the quote. Back when I explored this quote in 2010, it was popular for Rome's defenders to claim the quote was from a 1544 sermon. This year is important to them because it would mean Luther affirmed the Immaculate Conception shortly before he died (1546). However, the sermon actually dates back to the early 1530's (1532,1533, or possibly 1534). Even in the early 1530's though, Luther did not adhere to Mary's Immaculate Conception. Rome's defenders get the date wrong because the sermon the quote comes from was from a 1544 edition of Luther's House Postil (WA 52). The quote can be found in WA 52:39.

While not yet available in the English edition of Luther's Works, there are a few different English translations of the sermon available. The sermon is entitled, "First Sermon for Christmas" or "Holy Christmas Day." I've chosen to utilize this accessible online version. 

Context

In the papacy they used to tell a story: The devil once came to church to mass, and when in the confession of the Christian faith, which they called the Patrem, they sang the words: "Et homo factum est"— the Son of God was made man—and the people did not kneel down but stood, he struck one on the mouth, rebuked him and said: You ruffian, are you not ashamed that you stand here like a stock, and do not fall down for joy? If the Son of God had become our brother, like yours, we would not know what to do for joy.

I do not think that this is true; for the devil is too decided in his enmity to us and the Lord Jesus; but this is true, that he who conceived this story had the right spirit, and well understood how great an honor was conferred upon us in that the Son of God became man; not like Eve nor Adam, who was made of the earth; but He is still more nearly related to us, since He was born of the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, like other men, except that the virgin was alone, and being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, conceived this blessed fruit without sin and by the Holy Spirit. In other respects He is like unto us, and a natural Son of a woman.

Adam and Eve were not born, but created. God made Adam out of the dust of the earth, and the woman of his rib. How much nearer is Christ to us than Eve to her husband Adam, since He is truly our flesh and blood. Such honor we should highly esteem and well take to heart, that the Son of God became flesh, and that there is no difference at all between His and our flesh, only that His flesh is without sin. For He was so conceived of the Holy Ghost, and God poured out so richly His Holy Spirit into the soul and body of the Virgin Mary that without any sin she conceived and bore our Lord Jesus.  Aside from this, in all other respects, He was like other men; He ate, drank, was hungry, thirsty, cold like other men. Such and similar natural infirmities, which have descended upon us by reason of sin, He, who was without sin, bore and had like unto us, as St. Paul says: "He was made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man." [source]

Alternate English translation:

You see, he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and God so filled the flesh, body, and soul of the Virgin Mary with the Holy Spirit in such a way, that no sin was present in her conception and carrying of the Lord Jesus (Klug (ed.), The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther vol. 5 (Grand Rapids: Baker books, 2000), 135.

Original text: Im Papstthumb hat man ein Histori gesagt, Es sey der Teuffel ein mal in ein kirch zur Messe kommen, unnd da man im Patrem die wort gesungen hab: Et homo factus est. Er ist mensch worden, und die leüt gestanden, und nicht haben nider kniet, hab er einen auff das maul geschlagen unnd in gescholten und gesagt: Du grober schelm, schemest du dich nicht, das du so stehest wie ein stock und nicht für freuden niderfellest? Wenn Gottes Son unser brüder worden wer wie der ewr, so westen wir nicht, wo wir für freuden bleiben solten. Es mag war sein oder, so es gedicht ist, so ists gedicht von eim menschen, der ein hohen geist gehabt und die grosse ehr wol verstanden hat, die uns in dem ist widerfaren, das Gottes Son ist mensch worden, Nicht wie Eva noch wie Adam, der auß erden ist gemacht worden, Sonder ist uns noch neher gefreundet², sintemal er auß dem fleisch unnd blüt der Junckfraw Maria geborn ist wie andere menschen, on das sie, die Junckfraw, allein³ gewest, und er one sünd vom heiligen Geyst empfangen ist, sonst heyst er ein rechter, natürlicher weibes son.

Adam und Eva sind nicht geboren, sondern geschaffen, Denn Adam hat Gott auß der erden gemacht und das weib auß seiner rippen. Wie vil aber ist Christus uns neher, denn die Eva ihrem Man Adam, sintemal er unser fleisch und blut ist? Solche ehr solten wir hoch achten und wol in unsere herzen bilden, das der Son Gottes ist fleisch worden, und gar kein unterschid zwischen seinem und unserm fleisch ist, denn das sein fleisch one sünd ist. Denn er ist auß dem heyligen geist empfangen, und Gott hat die seel und den leyb der Jundkfrawen Marie vol heyliges Geystes gegossen, das sie on alle sünd gewesen ist, da sie den Herrn Jesum empfangen und getragen hat. Ausser desselben ist es alles natürlich an jhm gewest wie an andern menschen, Das er geessen, truncken, jn gehungert, gedurst, gefroren hat wie andern menschen. Solche und dergleichen natürliche gebrechen hat er gehabt wie wir, wie Paulus sagt, er sey erfunden in allem ein mensch wie wir, der geessen, truncken, frölich unnd trawrig gewest ist (WA 52:39).

Conclusion
In context, is Luther stating he believed Mary was conceived without sin... or is the subject the conception of Christ and Mary's purification at that event? The later! Read this quote in context and ask yourself if it's stating Luther believed Mary was conceived without sin, or if the subject is the conception of Christ and Mary's purification at that event. Luther's later view appears to be that at Christ's conception the Holy Spirit sanctified Mary so that the child would be born with non-sinful flesh and blood.

I have no idea who the speaker in this Facebook Reel is. If anyone knows who he is, please let me know...  I would love to have the pleasure of un-rocking his world by showing him the quote in context.

Revised March 2026